What happens when 40+ CHP cruisers meet 60+ supercars? Team Polizei didn't want to find out, so we consulted with the Reno Police, who suggested we skip the massive CHP presence on Interstate toward San Francisco and take a longcut south via Route 50. Team Polizei had never visited Lake Tahoe, and a quick discussion among Bullrun veterans the Collins Brothers (Ferrari 550), Richard Rawlings (BMW 750il/1931 Ford), Peter Malmstrom (Ferrari F40) and Richard X & Marek Harrison (Aston Martin DB9) led us to a fateful decision...

We, the best, fastest cars on the rally, would take a longer, smaller route, leaving the rest of the Bullrun to suffer at the hands of the CHP until we picked up I-80 in Sacramento. Theoretically, this would put us far ahead of the main pack.

Team Polizei bolted off the Reno start line, ignored the Reno Police escort to I-80, and took I-395 South toward Tahoe, the Collins' Ferrari 550 and Malmstrom's Ferrari F40 close behind. We thanked Michael Collins (and Microsoft Streets & Maps) for a real-time warning of a toxic fuel spill near Carson City, and raced through residential side streets to skip the traffic jam. Alas, we lost Malmstrom's F40 and drove alone through the towns of Stewart and Glenbrook.

Here we drove along some of the most scenic roads I've ever seen in the United States, cruising at 100+mph without any police interference. We laughed at the terrible massacre likely unfolding upon the other Bullrunners on the I-80 40 miles northwest of us.

The mountains and canyons greatly diminished our police scanner and CB range, so we had no way of warning the Collins Brothers, Malmstrom, Harrison or Rawlings when we started to pick up police scanner traffic regarding several sports cars westbound near Tahoe. This could only be us, which meant local police would begin deploying.

Team Polizei resorted to a "duck under" strategy, whereby we accelerate to put as much distance as possible between us and the location of any civilian calls to 911. This worked as far as South Lake Tahoe, where we heard a helicopter somewhere over the canyon road up ahead. We soon spotted the helicopter and, certain that it was a police helicopter, slowed in case they'd spotted us. Ten minutes later we crested a hill at a modest 67mph only to see 7(!) police cruisers heading Eastbound at high speed, lights and sirens on. We'd accidentally stirred a hornets nest, and they were descending on our friends some 5 miles behind us. We called every phone number we had, and yet were unable to reach them.

Police scanner traffic warned of additional traps ahead, so we exited Route 50 and considered taking even smaller roads west toward Sacramento. Suddenly the Aston DB9 raced past at 85 mph, and we knew we'd have a hard time passing them — Richard X & Marek Harrison had driven hard all week and were difficult to pass. We resumed Route 50 and attempted to catch them, but they disappeared in the heavy traffic in the Sacramento environs.

Michael Collins then called with bad news — they'd been caught with Peter Malmstrom for 140+mph in a 55. Although the Tahoe Police let the Collins' go, Malmstrom's F40 was seized, he was arrested, and his supermodel girlfriend Landi left on the side of the road with no phone or wallet. Even worse, all our efforts had been in vain as Richard Rawling's support semi had already passed Sacramento on I-80, which meant we were now one of the last cars.

With heavy hearts and disappointment we continued at 6/10ths (90mph) toward the Infineon Raceway checkpoint and a late lunch. We arrived approximately 8th, but the standings may never be clear since so many cars got lost or stopped, and many people skipped the checkpoint altogether and continued to San Francisco.

We were served lunch at the Jim Russell Racing School, where we also took out their go-karts in groups of 8. Marek Harrison led the standings, just ahead of Jackass's Ryan Dunn and Bullrun Organizer David Green. Alas, Gumball and Bullrun Veteran Matt Hagan flipped his kart, breaking his collarbone and arm. Team Polizei wishes him a speedy recovery.

Bullrun Organizer Andy Duncan then led a 50+ car Bullrun Convoy toward San Francisco. Although we were all under instructions to stay in convoy, the German Audi A6 Team kept pushing ahead, and as soon as we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge the convoy collapsed and an all-out urban street knife-fight broke out for the winning position. Team Polizei, enforcing the law and justice, employed all 800+ hp in guaranteeing total victory on yet another stage, and pulled into the W Hotel with white knuckles and dirty laundry. San Francisco won't soon forget our arrival that day.